to be annoyed that ds's teacher told him a spider is an insect?

Ok ds is in reception, but still. I have always told him a spider is not an insect but an arachnid, insects have 6 legs, etc, but today he came home and said 'Mrs X told me that I could bring a spider to school as the letter this week is I for insect'

I asked him if she really suggested a spider for 'I'. And he was very sure she had. So I told him again a spider was an arachnid. I know it is a small thing but it does annoy me, her telling them that. Yes I know she does an amazing job with 30 children, and she is great, but still.

DH and I are both teachers, and he's a science teacher to boot. I told him the heading of this thread as I knew it would make his blood boil too. I laughed when I saw the tomato-as-a-vegetable debate start (as I like to be pedantic and point out people's errors when calling a fruit a vegetable etc), and told him this too in a knowing aren't-people-ignorant type way, expecting him to agree. ~ But he didn't!!!!! Divorce papers are on their way...

SleepySquirrel, pointing out that teachers sometimes get it wrong, or even laughing about some of their howlers is not the same as being disrespectful (are you saying teachers never laugh at pupils' howlers in the privacy of the staff room?). I want my children to be respectful of teachers as in being polite and considerate of their feelings. But as to believing that they are always right- good heavens, no! I'm a teacher myself, my parents were teachers, my grandparents were teachers: I do not believe in the infallibility of teachers. And if teachers laugh at the howlers of pupils when pupils are at a safe distance, then surely parents (and even pupils) can be allowed to do the same. The reason dd is able to be kind and gentle to her (quite remarkably ignorant) history teacher is that she is able to come home and blow off steam about what she actually tells the class- that plus the fact that she has never been made to believe that teachers are godlike beings who know more than other educated people.

Oh jeez. Sorry. I was a bit offensive. But I have nothing but complete respect for school teachers. I am a teacher, of a sort and have no idea how they manage huge classes of kids and STILL manage to do their job professionally and with kindness. They are, truly, my heroes (though usually in primary heroines)

This is private joshing, really. Not really intended for teachers' ears directly, though of course you're all here.

Wonder if anyone being offensive and objectionable about teachers has been in a classroom recently. How lovely it must be to be so sure of ones own perfection. Small wonder then that such a large percentage of children have little or no respect for teachers. They are 'learning' from their parents. Teaching is a vocation, and very hard work. It used to be a joy. Just like it used to be human to err.

If it were me, I would take an invisible insect and an identifiable invertebrate, and I would take pictures of spiders and say "This is for another week, next time it is A for arachnid" - gotta speak their language, aintcha?!

MillyR the teacher apparently asked dd what nationality she is (don't know why) to which dd replied "English" then the teacher said "Don't get awkward with me, you know that you are British."Both myself and dh were angry because my dd was correct as England is part of bloody Britain and also the teacher should have then explained like I did that yes you are English but we usually just say British, that is what they put on your passport.I am keeping an ear out because any further quips from the same teacher and I will be straight on the phone to the head of year.

Read the thread, Mummeeee, turns out grouping and classifying are an important part of the curriculum at this age. And more importantly teachers should not be telling children things that are untrue. 'Spiders are insects' is not vaguely right, it's not a simplified idea for children, it's just wrong.

YABU to be annoyed. The teacher might actually think they are insects or she just mighthave just thought it was easier to tell a 4 year old this. He is only in reception so relax a bit and just make sure he knows the correct term when he comes to taking his GCSEs.

Vulpus - perhaps he attends the same synagogue as the Jewish guy in The Apprentice who, when instructed to buy a kosher chicken in a market in Marrakech, bought one from a halal butcher and got the muslim butcher to say a prayer over it.